Imprinters of type shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,272,120, issued Sept. 13, 1966 to D. W. Johnson, No. 3,340,800 issued Sept. 12, 1967 to J. H. Gruver et al., No. 3,763,777, issued Oct. 9, 1973 to A. C. Brown and No. 4,281,596 issued Aug. 4, 1981 to J. H. Bowen, generally include a roller platen which overhangs an anvil upon which an embossed data bearing card is removably placed, and means for urging the roller platen into rolling engagement with a pressure sensitive record medium, disposed in overlying relationship with respect to the embossed card, with sufficient force for imprinting the pressure sensitive medium with the data borne by the card. In addition, such imprinters typically includes a selectively adjustable printing device which is fixedly attached to the anvil for imprinting the pressure sensitive medium with variable data, such as a date, serial number, code or other information borne by the printing device.
Assuming imprintation takes place in the course of movement of the roller platen in a given direction, imprintation of the variable data occurs either before or after imprintation of data from the embossed card, or concurrently therewith, depending upon the location of the selectively adjustable printing device relative to the location of the card on the anvil. In practice, the location of printing device relative to the card is fixed at the time of manufacture. And, in order to offer their customers a choice of location of the fixed printing device manufacturers are required to stock at least two models of the same imprinter, for example, one model which locates the printing device above the right hand corner of a typically dimensioned embossed card placed on the anvil, and another model which locates the printing device above the left hand corner. This results in escalated manufacturing costs and costs attributable to the need to inventory different models of the same imprinter and different spare parts for servicing purposes. And, more often than not, such costs are ultimately borne by the consumer. Accordingly;
An object of the invention is to provide improved imprinting apparatus;
Another object is to provide an imprinter which is constructed and arranged for locating a printing device in either of two locations relative to an embossed card which may be mounted thereon; and
Another object is to provide an imprinter including a roller platen, anvil and printing device, wherein the anvil is constructed and arranged for orienting either of its opposed major surfaces upwardly beneath the roller platen and for carrying the printing device in a first position when one of its major surfaces is so upwardly oriented and in a second position when the other of its major surfaces is so upwardly oriented.